PUPILS are being lost to sixth forms and further education colleges over the border in England, because they would prefer to have all their lessons on one campus.

Students, or at least some of them also leave because they don't want to take the Welsh Baccalaureate.

The information came out at Powys County Council's cabinet meeting on Tuesday as the School Organisation Policy was discussed.

In November the Cabinet approved an ambitious "Plans for Powys Schools Policy" which was out to consultation between November 21, 2017 and January 31, 2018.

The he ambitious plans would see major improvements to primary, secondary and special schools services across the county, at a total cost of £114 million.

The project is part of a joint local and Welsh Government 21st century programme running from 2019 to 2025/26 and the first move would be to turn Newtown's Ysgol Dafydd Llwyd into an all through Welsh medium school.

But councillors who have scrutinised the proposals have concerns.

Cllr David Jones, said: "I welcome the new policy but there are three concerns that I want to share with cabinet.

"The Wales Audit Office letter, we want to draw your attention to something reported, the pace and scale of change needs to be affordable to create a sustainable educational service.

"What concerns scrutiny is the leakage of pupils out of Powys sixth forms.

"Welsh Government funds sixth forms directly and we are finding the number of pupils at al level falling and the funding of courses is also falling.

"It's something for the cabinet to address"

"Sixth form colleges over the border in England are attracting pupils as courses are in one place.

Cllr Jones also wondered about who would be making the key decisions for the future of education, the cabinet, Vision 2025 or other bodies.

Council leader, Rosemarie Harris, said that all the ultimate decision on education are taken by cabinet, with some delegated to the portfolio holder.

Cabinet member for education, Cllr Myfanwy Alexander, said: "We want to achieve at some pace.

"We have a delivery date of September 2018, for all through schools in North Powys, we could not do this any quicker if we tried,

"Pupils have told me that they're going over the border because of the Welsh Baccalaureate, they don't want to do it, here your unlikely to do four A - Levels.

"Some who've grown up in rural Wales want to enjoy a bit of town life for a couple of years, where they can walk to a Top Shop or Costa Coffee.

Cllr Rachel Powell, added: "We are in a difficult climate, some people are specific about what they want to study, it's not just A Levels we have to be open minded about other educational paths that are on offer."

The Cabinet approved the report whch will now be implemented as the "School Organisations Policy."